Cooky,
Sorry to hear about the eagle. We have precious few around here and it is a big deal when one is spotted. Finally have a few nesting pair along the river.
I haven't had a garden for years but when the kids were growing up we did grow veggies.
My Dad had a huge garden in a field owned by the factory he worked for. We all worked in it and it kept a family of 7 going. I got to sell some, especially the stawberries, in front of our house.
I never learned to hunt, or shoot for that matter, but my husband used to. Might have to go back to it. His sister actually had a business of dressing out deer and moose for hunters out in Wisconsin. Guess I should get some lessons from her.